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Ontario Nearing Green Light for Online Gambling

Posted on August 9th, 2010

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After recent moves by the United States and the province of British Columbia to legalize online gaming, Ontario seems to be the next to decide on whether internet gaming should be welcomed in their area. While, a date has not been set on exactly when Ontarians can log in and play gaming staples like Texas Hold ‘Em, baccarat, poker or roulette legally through a website to be run by the province, the government has shown obvious signs of support to the idea.

Online gaming is a thriving industry, with figures showing growth of up to 20 percent every year. The positive signals policy-wise have began as early as February, when Paul Godfrey, who on his first day as Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation chairman, stated that online gaming is something the province has to take notice. Godfrey was picked by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty himself to fix the lottery corporation from its scandalous predicament and put it back to good form. Godfrey was quoted in saying that “money is going out of this province to other provinces as well as offshore sites” with online gaming still not legalized in Ontario. During that time, Finance Minister Dwight Duncan has expressed reservations about legalizing internet gaming, saying that it is too early to tell. The province is currently facing a deficit worth $19.7 billion in 2010 while the Liberal government wants to make everything right, at least fiscally, so as to get a good image as elections draw closer in October 2011.

Ontario is already a bit late when it comes to considering internet gaming though, as the trend has caught on in different localities around the world. What used to be outright bans by governments have softened to accommodate regulation of internet gaming, which in turn allows them to take part in profits, which has long been going on under their noses without them taking a slice of the revenue cake. British Columbia was the first area in Canada to provide its citizens the option of legalized casino gaming online. In July, the provincial government ran its estimates of $100 million every year in terms of the spending their citizens do when playing online games. With the establishment of its own gaming site launched only last month, British Columbia now has revenue to invest in more health care and education services. This in turn has prompted other Canadian provinces aside from Ontario like Quebec and the Atlantic provinces to seriously consider and possibly follow BC’s successful streak.

Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) became an imperative revenue source for the government last year with its $1.9 billion earnings. The government is cash-strapped and it badly needs all the revenue it can get from all sources, which OLG can handily provide once the green light for internet gaming is on. As of the moment, offshore betting sites are taking the gaming market’s monster share, to OLGs obvious disadvantage. A spokesman for the OLG only commented that they are indeed “”exploring new and innovative business lines, including Internet gaming”. Meanwhile, a source in the Liberal party suggested that income from internet gaming could be used to further OLG businesses by giving online gamers credits to be used in actual casinos, OLG-owned hotels and restaurants.

On the other hand, opposition from groups concerned with the problems gaming brings is to be expected, and this opposition will have to be overcome by proponents of the legalization. With the lightning speed that online games are played, the instant gratification players get and the privacy of playing anywhere with an internet connection, concerned groups are almost sure that this scenario promotes addiction. Others argue that since the market is thriving even in areas where it is illegal, it would be in the government’s interest to get a piece of the gaming action by making it legal thus also ensuring the protection of gamers. The worldwide market of internet gaming is estimated to be valued at $20 billion in 2009, with the U.S. having more than a quarter of that market at $5.4 billion.